One summer, long ago, I volunteered to help cook for our youth group at a week-long summer camp. Fortunately, the other cook had experience because those were the days I was only cooking for Hubby and myself at home.

To feed a crowd (of hungry teens) took meticulous planning, shopping, preparation and time. I wouldn’t dream of repeating this on my own!

Important to Feed

In Scripture, you can always tell when something is important because it is repeated. The more it is repeat3ed, the more important it is. So today, as we look at feeding the 5,000, we should note that this is the ONLY miracle mentioned in ALL FOUR Gospels:

• Matt. 14:13-21
• Mark 6:31-44
• Luke 9:10-17
• John 6:1-14

Plus, it is mentioned AGAIN in Matthew and Mark – so SIX mentions in all! If nothing else, it speaks to Christ’s awareness/compassion for our basic physical needs.

Who to Feed

Our focus today is primarily from John 6:1-14. For context, John the Baptist has been killed, and the 12 have just returned from their first mission trip. Everyone needed time and space to regroup and refresh. So Jesus led His men by boat to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee to Bethsaida (v.1).

But the retreat was short-lived. Verse 2 tells us a “great crowd of people followed Him because they saw the signs He had performed by healing the sick.” Matthew tells us a crowd met them on the shore (Mt 14:14.).

Even though He sought rest, He also saw their needs – both spiritual and physical. He knew any crowd was an opportunity for teaching, so (v 3) He went up on a mountainside and sat down with His disciples. In the Jewish culture, this signals learning time and not just rest. A rabbi sits with his students to teach/discuss.

How to Feed

As the crowd approaches, Jesus asks Philip where they will buy bread to feed all these people (v 5). Why Philip? It’s likely that Philip had been a follower of John the Baptist (John 1:35-43). With John’s death so recent, it’s possible that his former disciple was struggling. Perhaps Jesus engaged him specifically to ensure Philip remained focused rather than mired in his grief. Also, Philip is from this area!

Jesus wasn’t really asking for Philip’s advice. Verse 6 clearly says Christ knew what His plan was before He asked the question. Philip’s answer? “We don‘I have enough money to get bread for everyone to just have a bite.”

Then John’s other former disciple speaks up with critical information: (v 9) “Here is a boy with 5 small barley loaves and 2 small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

Jesus didn’t answer that question. He just told them to have the people sit down. Then He took the food they had AND GAVE THANKS.

MINOR differences

All 4 Gospels agree on most of the story. One difference in John (v 11) where it says JESUS distributed the food. The others all say that He gave it to the 12 to distribute. Is this a big deal?

I don’t know, but in dealing with hungry crowds, I think His compassion would lead Him to feed in the most efficient way. This would also be more impactful on His disciples if they were participating in the miracle directly. But the food does come FROM JESUS – whether directly or through His men.

Feed until filled

Both verses 11 and 12 tell us the crowd ate all they wanted. They Jesus told His men to pick up the leftovers, and each of His disciples ended up with a full basket of bread.

The message in the numbers:

Remembering that the Jews assign significance to numbers, there is an additional layer in this story:

• 5 loaves- 5 represents the Torah – the 5 books of Moses. He wrote them, and they were key books in their history. They are our 1st 5 books of our Bible.
• 2 fish –  the 2 tablets of the 10 commandments – yet another reference to Moses
• 12 baskets left over –  the 12 tribes of Israel

So Jesus is demonstrating His power and authority over and beyond Moses and the Law. Unlike the religious leaders, Jesus taught a path to God that didn’t include perfection to the Law. And by BREAKING 5 & 2 and ending up with so much more, He shows His power surpasses even Moses.

He fed them until they were satisfied, and still had 12 baskets left over – meaning there is enough for ALL tribes.

• 5,000 men –  Meaning it’s possible He fed 5,000 men + 5,000 women + 5,000 children OR MORE! But 5,000? Again 5 – refers to Moses and 1,000 refers to community. This showed He came to feed the ENTIRE Jewish community. So, in that case, having “Leftovers” would be for non-Jews! And 12 baskets may show the Gentile believers are grafted into the faith.

What this means for me:

1. God can use what I bring-  I may not see how my small gift can be used to feed thousands, but I need to give it anyway. God can take my raw material and transform it into more than I can imagine.
2. Jesus still sees me in my grief –  I’ve ;been absent here for quite a while as I grieved the loss of my mom. Somehow I never notice it was Philip and Andrew who are mentioned by name. It comforts me to see Jesus engaging with those in grief.
3. Thanking God for little can multiply it –  Every version of this story tells us Jesus stopped and gave thanks for what had been given. With Jesus as my example, I need to be more grateful for all I have and for what I ask God to give – even before it comes.
4. Don’t be wasteful –  Scripture doesn’t tell us what they did with all the leftovers, but since each disciple had a basket, it is reasonable to think they took them home. Regardless I am sure Jesus wouldn’t let any go to waste.
5. My 5 loaves and 2 fish –  My 5 & 2 are right here: this blog and my courses. And I get to share them with you! Thank you for reading and sharing.

I’m grateful for your patience with me and your continued presence here. Drop me a line and tell me about YOUR 5 & 2!

by

The post How Many Can You Feed? appeared first on 13 Prayers.

My mother-in-law is going blind

Hubby’s mom has AMD – and she is going blind. She has to get injections in BOTH eyes regularly to halt the progression of the disease. It’s an issue many in her family have dealt with, so she wasn’t exactly surprised when it started. BUT she also didn’t mention it for the first 6 months she noticed the problem. SIX MONTHS!

When she finally mentioned it, we went into overdrive to prevent her from becoming completely blind like many in her family had.

”Blind” was more common

More people became blind in Jesus’ region for several reasons:

1. dust and sand + wind = eye damage
2. sand heated by sun and blasted into eyes
3. perpetual glare of light reflected off the sand
4. contrast of heat and cold sea air and dew at nite while sleeping on rooftops
5. smallpox

So, today we’ll examine 3 examples of Jesus healing the blind — two which warrant a closer look than Jesus’ typical miracles.

Open the eyes of the blind

Isaiah 29.18 and 35.5 say, “The eyes of the blind shall be opened.” This is, of course, a dramatic prophecy both because of the vast number of blind individuals in the area and the lack of medical knowledge/technology to accomplish this healing by human intervention. But, as we know, nothing is impossible for the Son of God.

Two blind men asked for mercy and for Christ to restore their sight (Matt 9.27-31). They even refer to Jesus as the “Son of David” – a royal title reserved for the expected Messiah.

Jesus questioned them. “Do you BELIEVE I can?” This is a question of faith – His requirement for the cure.

Jesus touched them. Why? Perhaps it was His way of expressing compassion. Others that He healed could SEE the love on His face, but these blind men could not. So He connected with them through touch.

Healing here was immediate and complete with His touch. But Jesus warned them STERNLY, “See that no one knows about this.”

Sadly, they were not obedient to the One they called “Lord.” Verse 31 tells us they went and spread the news about Him all over the region. Why not tell others? You see, Jesus didn’t want the people to follow solely based on His healing, but because of the FAITH in Him as Messiah. Their disobedience illustrates they were MORALLY blind.

Friends lead the blind

Mark 8.22-26 tells of some people who brought a fling man to Jesus and begged Him to touch this man. Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. Then He spat on the man’s eyes and touched him. Jesus then asked if he could see anything.

He could see people that looked like walking trees. So Jesus touched his eyes again. Only then could he see things clearly. Jesus sent him home, to not even to back into town.

Okay, while we may think it’s totally gross to spit on someone, it was a common remedy at the time. And because Jesus removed him from the crowd, the first thing the blind man saw was Jesus!

Why did it take a process?

Some commentaries say it was because of a lack of faith. Remember, the MAN didn’t ask for healing. “Others” – not even described as his friends or family – brought him to Jesus and begged for healing for him.

Other commentaries say it’s the only one of Jesus’ miracles that wasn’t instantaneous because He wanted to illustrate to us that God sometimes works little by little.

Either way, the blind man could see and was ALSO told not to tell anyone. Another request for spiritual discipline.

The man BORN BLIND

The blind man who caused the biggest stir was the one BORN blind. Never had someone born blind been healed. And Isaiah foretold about this in 35.5, “Then will the eyes of the blind by opened…” and 42.7, “…to open eyes that are blind…”

This man sat on the steps to the temple. People walked past him all the time. No sight, no job prospects, so he was forced to beg. And Jesus noticed him because he had no friends to bring him for healing.

The disciples asked whose sins caused the blindness – his or his parents’ sins. It was a common Jewish belief that sins  – or even the mom’s thoughts – could transfer to the baby. Plus God’s law showed them that suffering was because of sin.

But Jesus explained that man’s exception: be was born blind so that God’s works could be displayed through him! And Jesus healed him to do just that. He spit in the clay/dirt and made mud. Then He put it on the man’s eyes and told him to go wash in the Pool of Siloam. His obedience led to his healing.

His healing was immediate and complete, plus, having never seen ANYTHING in his life, he needed no training. AND Jesus did NOT tell this man to stay quiet.

Trouble

The “We Know Best” guys – AKA Pharisees, questioned him and his parents. He reported there was a man – a prophet from God – Son of God. So the leaders kicked him out of the synagogue. He was warned, but was compelled to tell the truth. With the leaders refusal to accept the truth, he was expelled as a liar.

What this means for me:

1. Sometimes I am blind to the road I’m on. I don’t always make the right decisions, and it puts me on a road away from God’s will for my life. And the Word clearly tells me that hate can blind us, too. Hate and bitterness. Gotta watch out for those… 1 John 2.11, “But anyone who hates a brother or sister is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. They do not know where they are going, because the darkness has blinded them.”
2. I always need to take care of my own failing before judging someone else. Christ asked, “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into a pit?” And “You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye (Luke 6.39 & 42b).”
3. The remedy is Jesus. In John 8.12 Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
4. Prayer can open our eyes. Elisha prayed for his servant to see what he could see (read about that here), and God granted his request. We should pray that God will open our eyes to the work we need to do for His Kingdom.

Thanks for dropping by today. Drop me a line below and tell me something you’ve seen God doing lately.

by

The post The Eyes of the Blind appeared first on 13 Prayers.

Nope. No leper here.

Not a leper. I have never had the horrible disease that rots the flesh and makes your limbs decay and fall off. Where you are shunned by everyone and must live a life of solitude.

But I remember 2020 and the quarantine life. Because of my chronic lung issues, Hubby didn’t let me out of the house for 6 whole weeks. Not even to sit on the front porch!

And yes, I still got COVID, and I was praising God for every breath and for pulling me through it.

Yet the leper life is so much worse. There was no human contact – except another leper – and no cure.

But, Jesus…

A single leper in need

Matthew 8:1-4 tells the story of the single leper who approached Jesus and fell on his face in worship, saying, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” You can see Christ’s compassion in both His words AND ACTIONS.

”I am willing,” He said. And He touched the leper! That’s something unheard of! Lepers had to live apart and announce their presence AND DISEASE  by shouting “Unclean” whenever people approached.

So notice what the leper asked for: “You can make me CLEAN.” This demonstrates his faith that Jesus can help him return to his community and ease his lonely life.

BUT the leper’s request BEGINS with a seed of doubt. “IF YOU ARE WILLING.” So he didn’t fully understand who Jesus was. More on that in a minute.

Contact, command, and a cure

Jesus touched the leper – a clear violation of the law – which would make a man unclean. But He was man AND GOD and was not defiled. His purity and power passed to the man through this contact.

Then Jesus gave the leper a command: “Tell no one, but present yourself as clean to the priest and make the offering according to the law.” Two simple parts. First, keep quiet about this. And, fulfill the law’s requirements.

And the man received his cure.

BUT he wasn’t grateful – not really. A man who was grateful for a miraculous healing would do EVERYTHING  as he was commanded to do. But in Mark’s version (Mark 1:40-45), the man openly disobeys. “Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. And the people still came to Him from everywhere (v. 45).”

One leper in ten

In contract to the single disobedient leper, the healing of 10 lepers in Luke 17 is remarkable in several ways.

First is the simple number of those healed. Here we have 10 men who found refuge together — allowed because they all had a common affliction. Leprosy was the great equalizer.

Second, instead of healing one leper in Cana, these 10 men were along the border between Samaria and Galilee. Just as a reminder, Jews and Samaritans had great disdain for each other. But here Jews and a Samaritan were unified.

”Have mercy.”

The 10 asked Jesus to have mercy on them, unlike the single leper who asked to be made clean. They didn’t directly mention healing – they just wanted mercy [compassion; patient endurance]. Yet, they received healing when they obeyed. Uniquely, their healing occurred when they were out of Jesus’ sight “AS THEY WENT.” So, indeed, mercy was granted.

Gratitude of a single leper

Only one returned to thank Jesus – even before he went to the priest to fulfill the law’s requirements. Even his voice – once damaged by the disease – had now been restored! And he used it to express his gratitude and worship the Son of God.

His focus was on the Healer. But his Jewish companions put all their focus on the healing.

Jesus asked about the 9. But the one leper wouldn’t speak ill of them. The one received even greater mercy – He received salvation! The 9 missed out because they thought they had no more need for Jesus. The 1 received new life for his body AND SOUL. And the cost? Going forward, this Samaritan will remain devoted to Jesus.

What this means for me:

1. Jesus IS willing. There is no doubt in my mind that Jesus IS WILLING to help. But we have to ask, and believe in obedience.
2. Faith matters. My faith BEFORE I ask matters. Do I have the absolute confidence in who Jesus is and what He can do? I should!
3. Gratitude is rewarded. The Samaritan leper got more than he expected – because of his grateful heart. All 10 received physical mercy, but gratitude led the ONE to spiritual mercy as well.

Thanks for stopping by today. Why not drop me a line below or on social media and let me know how you dealt with the isolation during the pandemic.

by

The post Do You Have the Gratitude of a Leper? appeared first on 13 Prayers.

My father had profound faith.

My father had even been a pastor for a time. I often went to him for spiritual counsel, and his prayers for me and over me were powerful.

A complex man, for most of my life, he rarely set foot in church. But I never had reason to doubt the extent of his faith in God.

The first father

Our first father today is recorded in John 4:46-54. Jesus is back in Cana. He had turned water into wine on His last trip, and this passage records His first HEALING miracle here.

A nobleman – a father – from Capernum had a sick son. He’d heard Jesus was in the area and begged Him to COME and heal his dying son.

BUT Jesus rebukes him, saying, “Unless you people SEE signs and wonders, you will by no means believe.” (v48)

Again, the father begs Him to COME before his son dies. (v49)

Then Jesus replies, “Go your way; your son lives.” And the man left, believing what Jesus said.

The father is met on the road by his servants who confirm the healing at the moment Jesus spoke it. With this confirmation, “HE HIMSELF BELIEVED, AND HIS WHOLE HOUSEHOLD.” (v53)

The father’s first belief was in Jesus’ ability and promise to heal his son. But only with confirmation of the miracle did he actually believe in Jesus as the Christ. So Jesus was right in saying he needed to SEE signs and wonders to believe.

The father’s came, no doubt, because he’d heard the wedding story. But hearing wasn’t enough for him. HE HAD TO SEE IT FOR HIMSELF.

The Second Father

Some people believe this story from Matthew 8:5-13 is actually the same story. It does, of course, tell of a man asking for healing for someone he cared for.

But here is a centurion – a Gentile – who commanded 100 men. And he is asking healing for a servant. Is it possible he is the servant’s father? Yes, it was common practice among the Romans to father children with servants, but we are not told this. But either way, the centurion felt responsible for the servant and sought healing for him.

Here the servant isn’t dying, he is paralyzed – and in great pain. And here Jesus immediately offers to go.

Bjut it is the centurion’s response that clarifies this as a different story. “I am not worthy that You should come under my roof.” (v8a) This man – father or not – is actually begging Jesus to NOT COME to his house. He recognizes who Jesus is up front. And he sees his own failures and shortcomings make him unworthy.

Bold faith

The centurion also tells Jesus in verse 8, “But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed.” He explains that, as a military man, he commands men to come and go. And they obey.

He is saying that he knows Jesus has authority over disease! If Jesus will just command this condition to leave his treasured servant, the boy will walk again.

And Jesus’ response is the direct opposite from His reply to the nobleman father in John 4. Here He marvels – Jesus is filled with wonder, admiration or astonishment because of the centurion’s extraordinary faith.

Why was his faith so amazing? First, he’s a Gentile. He has no claim to the Jewish Messiah’s mercy. Second, he has understanding of Jesus’ power BEFORE this conversation. Next, he depends totally on Christ and His will. He put no limits on His ability to heal. And last is his submission to Jesus’ authority. He is a military leader who humbles himself for the sake of a servant he loves.

Can you imagine? Just take a minute and think about what it must take to astonish Jesus, THE SON OF GOD! So, after bragging on the man, He tells the father to go home because his servant was healed at the same time.

What it means for me

1. I need to believe before I ask. My faith in God needs to start before my requests. I want the faith that amazed Jesus. I’ve had glimpses of it, but it isn’t my constant companion.
2. I must approach God with my requests. Both men CAME to Jesus with their needs. I can’t limit what I talk to God about. I can think of several things I omit from my prayers because I don’t want to bother God with them.
3. I can’t limit God. Sometimes I try to tell God how to fix the situation I find myself in. But I can’t do that AND amaze Hime with my faith. Let’s face it, God’s imagination is far better than mine. Let’s let Him make all the decisions.

Thanks for dropping by today. Leave me a note and tell me, would you want to have faith that amazes Jesus?

by

The post The Faith of the Father Matters appeared first on 13 Prayers.

Have you ever sensed evil is present?

I didn’t expect to encounter evil in the mall, but I did. Once, before my mom went to assisted living, she and I were at the mall, and we came to a bookstore.. Bookstores for my family are like candy stores to children. So we rushed inside, seeking untold treasures. Not evil.

As I walked past a life-sized cardboard cutout of a man – an author of popular self-help books, I had an overwhelming sense of dread. And a revulsion. A stench of something dead. Something evil. I asked Mom if she smelled it. She did not.

I grew so uncomfortable that I had to leave the store. I tried to convince Mom to leave, too, but she stayed and bought several books. I have since avoided books by that author, and he later was revealed to be caught up in a huge scandal.

Evil comes to light.

Jesus dealt with evil head-on

There are several instances in Scripture where Jesus faced down demons – fallen angels doing evil on behalf of Satan.

Luke 4:33-36 and Mark 1:23-24 describe how evil tried to disrupt Christ’s teaching in the synagogue . During the lesson, the demon cried out from inside a man. The demon recognized Jesus – after all, they had once been in Heaven together.

What did the demon do? First it recoiled from Jesus. Evil cannot bear to be in the perfect presence of Christ. Also, note that the demon had taken possession of the man. Evil is the great imitator. If the Son of God talk human form, then Satan used the same tricks. (He entered Judas as well.)

And the demon recognized Christ from their time in Heaven.

Christ’s response

Jesus dealt with this evil in 2 steps:

1. He silenced the spirit – No doubt Jesus didn’t want people’s faith in HIM to rest on the testimony of an evil source.
2. Christ expelled the spirit – Angry that he can no longer interrupt the teaching verbally, the spirit caused mass chaos physically.

Healing from evil’s influence

In Matt. 9:32-35, we find another man with a demon problem. This time, evil is keeping him from hearing and speaking. His mind and body have no control.

This wasn’t a disease or injury. And Jesus immediately knows this. He then deals with the root cause — evil.Once the demonic influence is gone, the man can hear and speak.

A third encounter with evil

The story of the Gadarene demoniac is told in Luke 8:26-27, Matthew 8:28-38, and Mark 5:1-20. But first, let’s take a minute to look deeper at the idea of demon possession.

We know that Jesus believed in Satan and demons. He encountered Satan in the wilderness after 40 days of fasting and prayer, before beginning His ministry. Read about that here.And He openly declared (in this instance and others) that the evil within a person came from an evil source.

What does this tell us? The devil’s power is exercised in 3 ways:

1. directly BY HIMSELF (as in Job)
2. by the demons (other fallen angels) whom Satan rules over
3. through humans he has influenced or taken possession of (in this case and in Judas’ betrayal of Christ)

In the case of this man, we learn there are MULTIPLE demons at work.

Signs of evil’s torment

This man lived among the dead, making him unclean. He was strong enough to break any chains or shackles others used to bind him. Luke says he was naked – and completely shameless. (Think about Adam and Eve hiding from God after they sinned because they were naked.)

He also wandered “in the mountains and in the tombs, crying out and cutting himself with stones.(Mark 5:5)”

BUT, when he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran don worshiped Him. He literally fell on his face before Christ!

Then he shouted, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.(Mark 5:7)”

My name is “Legion”

When the demon answers Jesus with “My name is Legion, for we are many,” the people who heard this were, no doubt, astonished. They knew that the term “Legion” referred to a unit of 6,000 Roman soldiers.

The demons begged Jesus for 3 things:

1. DON’T torment us. They knew Christ’s power and authority. He could do whatever He wanted to them, and they had no recourse. (Luke 8:28)
2. DON’T send us to the Abyss. Jesus had the authority to send them directly to Hell for all eternity, and they weren’t ready for that judgment.(Luke 8:31
3. DO send us to the nearby herd of 2,000 pigs so we can enter them. (Luke 8:32)

Jesus allowed them to enter the pigs. (Remember, pigs are an unclean animal; to the Jews.) They left the man and entered the pigs. Then “the herd ran violently down the steep place into the sea, the drowned in the sea. (Mark 5:13b)”

Once Legion had destroyed the herd, THE JEWS who were raising the pigs ran and told everyone. Yes, these were Jews raising unclean pigs to sell to Roman soldiers! In this way, Jesus punished them for breaking God’s law about unclean animals.

What do you value?

In all 3 Gospels, those who lost their precious pigs returned to the site of the miracle. They found the man, dressed and in his right mind.

But, they didn’t care.

They were more interested in their profits than the man. They begged Jesus to leave the area. In other words, they wanted Jesus out of there before He discovered any more evil things they were involved in.

Jesus had seen the value in this one tormented man and rescued him. Then He commanded him to go and tell what had happened to him. So the man told the Decapolis — a collection of ten cities!

What this means for me:

1. Jesus knew evil exists – For anyone who says demons don’t exist, tell them to read the texts. Evil still exists, too. There is a constant battle of good vs evil around us. Beware!
2. Possession/Influence happens with consent – When we willingly participate in evil, we open the door – even just a crack. The more we allow, the deeper trouble we put ourselves in. We become desensitized to evil’s influence. So we must be diligent to weed out the bad and replace it with God alone.
3. Evil knows exactly who Jesus is and the Power He has – The Legion who announced Jesus as “Son of the Most High God” was right. And it was the first time that title was used to describe Him! If a demon recognizes Jesus’ power, I should, too!

Thanks for stopping by today. Why not drop me a line and tell me if you’ve ever felt the presence of evil.

by

The post Dealing with the Powers of Evil appeared first on 13 Prayers.

My parents had another daughter, so yes, I have a sister. Older by 18 months, she’s an attorney in Texas. And I don’t think there could be a greater contrast between two girls raised in the same home.

Even as adults, we are very different: she has many dogs; I have children and grands (and only 2 dogs). She is outgoing and literally argues for a living. I’m an introvert and hate conflict of any kind. If there can be this much difference between siblings, imagine how different a daughter from 2 different families can be!

The daughter of joy

As Jesus returned from another healing, a synagogue leader Jairus approached Him, begging for Him to heal his girl. She is dying. And only 12 years old. Jesus goes immediately. After a brief interruption on the way (we’ll look at that in a minute), Jesus and Jairus arrive at the house – only to be told the girl has died. The professional mourners are already in place.

But Jesus knows all. He tells Jairus not to be afraid and just believe. And the girl will be made whole.

His knowledge and power

Jesus is the Son of God. He knows all. He knew the girl had died. (He is omniscient.) Jesus is also all-powerful. He fulfilled God’s commands and created all things. (He is omnipotent.)

So when He arrives, He throws out the mourners because they laughed when He said she is sleeping. Their unbelief cannot be part of this miracle. Only Peter, James, and John witness the event – plus the child’s parents. The 3 disciples’ hearts were ready to witness this impressive miracle.

The dead daughter is alive!

Whether Jesus just takes her hand or He commands her to sit up (various accounts differ), she was dead, but she sits up again! Whole! Just as Jesus promised. Then Jesus had 2 final things for the parents: 1-FEED HER. This is a reminder to continue with ordinary things even in the middle of miracles. And it proves she has the physical needs of a real, LIVE person. 2-DON’T TELL ANYONE. News of this would attract the wrong people, and it isn’t time to draw attention to Christ’s ability to raise the dead.

This daughter lived her first 12 years as part of a loving home, in contrast to the other daughter Jesus encountered that same day.

The daughter of sorrow

The other daughter Jesus encountered while on His way to Jairus’ house had a contrasting life story. She had a medical condition where she had an issue of blood for the last 12 years.

For better understanding of what chaos this caused her, you need to learn a bit about Jewish law. God gave MANY commands in Scripture regarding blood. Blood makes someone “unclean.” They can’t be around other people who might touch the blood and then become unclean as well.

So she can’t be with family or friends. She can’t go to worship or market. She must suffer alone.

For the same 12 years that Jairus’ daughter enjoyed her family, this woman lived in isolation.

A daughter’s search

This daughter reveals that she has spent the years seeking various healers and had heard about this healer from Galilee. But she didn’t want to make Jesus unclean. So, as He walked by, she just reached out and touched the fringe of His clothes. These would be the special fringes on the four corners of His garment These thread have great religious significance to the Jews.

Her faith is Jesus’ ability to heal her – just from touching these braided threads – was so strong that it worked! She was healed!

Jesus knew

Even while walking through a crowd of people eager to hear from Him – even while on His way to heal Jairus’ dying daughter, Jesus felt healing power leave Him. He stopped, and He asked who had touched Him. Of course, the disciples thought this was ridiculous. The street was crowded.

But Jesus doubled down, and the woman confessed at His feet. She explained that she had suffered under the care of many doctors. She had spent everything she had. And, instead of getting better, she grew worse.

Jesus commends her faith and instructs her to go in peace and be freed from her suffering.

What it means to me:

1. Jesus is never too busy – Have you ever decided not to pray about something because you didn’t want to be a bother? That your need was insignificant compared to those suffering in war or natural disasters? Well, maybe that’s just me. But if Jesus will stop in the middle of the road to check on someone who is already healed WHILE HE’S ON TRACK TO HEAL A DYING CHILD, then He’s not too busy for me.
2. Jesus didn’t allow her to be healed in secret – The child was healed at her father’s request IN SECRET, but the woman who received her healing under the radar still had to come face to face with the Healer. It still works that way. We must ask Him.
3. Faith triumphs over superstition – The woman’s fear of making Jesus unclean stopped her from asking for healing, but her faith still made her healing possible.
4. Jesus’ timing is perfect – Even stopping to talk to the woman, Jesus was able to heal Jairus’ daughter. It’s not like He was too late to do anything.
5. Jesus cares about ordinary things – After healing the dead girl, Jesus tells her parents to feed her. In the midst of this incredible miracle, He refocused them on the ordinary.

Thanks for stopping by today. Why not drop me a line below or on Instagram and tell me: Do you and your siblings live in contrast with each other?

by

The post A Daughter in Contrast appeared first on 13 Prayers.

When my kids were little, they sometimes became overwhelmed with life. And I would give them a time out to rest up and try again later.

Now, it’s my turn.

If you’ve been with me a while (pre-2024), you may have noticed my posts that used to appear like clockwork have become spotty and have even been on hold once already this year. It’s happening again, I’m afraid.

2024 hasn’t been my favorite

We started the year with Hubby’s cancer diagnosis and his mom’s continuing struggle with her vision. Then my mom’s health scare in March, right as Hub’s daily treatments were beginning. But Mom bounced back.

Well, Hubby’s doing great. His mom is continuing her treatments.

And Mom died. Just after her 96th birthday.

She was ready. She went peacefully, and we rejoice with her because we know where she is. And we will see her again.

My time out

I’m exhausted. And overwhelmed. I need time to figure some things out, but I’m dealing with all my regular daily tasks PLUS finalizing all of Mom’s finances and such. I’ve tried to write blog posts about the miracles surrounding Christ, but my brain just… won’t brain. So, I’m stepping back from the blog while I take myself back through the grief course I was already updating. (Transforming “Good Grief” into “Christian Grief Trek”) – more information here.(Transforming “Good Grief” into “Christian Grief Trek”) – more information here.

I was prepared

God led me to choose the word “HOPE” for 2024. I’ve been studying verses on HOPE all year. They pulled me through the cancer stuff, and – knowing my HOPE is in Jesus – I will get through this loss, too.

Please forgive me for bailing, but understand that I will return when I get some balance back, after my time out.

Thanks,

Kathy

by

The post Time Out appeared first on 13 Prayers.

Sometimes one storm comes after another

Haver you ever had a season in life where you faced one storm after another? Usually storm season in my Oklahoma is in the Spring. But for me, November/December of 2012 was by far the worst storm front I’ve ever faced.

First, Hubby’s youngest sister died. My mom drove up for the funeral and fell inside the church before the service, shattering her leg. Dad was in the nursing home, so I had to go tell him. Mom was still in rehab when he passed December 30th, and all the arrangements fell to me.

I felt battered and abandoned. And I felt like Jesus had fallen asleep and missed all I was forced to deal with in this storm. I felt alone.

Disciples faced a storm

Matthew 8, Mark 4, and Luke 8 all tell of a storm that scared even the seasoned fishermen of the group. Jesus got in the boat with them and told them to sail to the other side. A storm appeared suddenly – not uncommon for the region. The Gospels describe it as:

• Matt. – sudden, with sweeping waves
• Mark – a furious squall that almost swamped the boat
• Luke – a squall that swamped the boat, putting them all in great danger

All accounts agree. This was a bad storm that rattled them all – except Jesus.

Asleep in the storm

Jesus was asleep. All accounts agree on this. The waves are crashing over the sides of the boat and filling their space with frigid sea water. Violent swells batter them about. Thunder crashes above.

And Jesus slept.

I’m positive His ministry was taxing to His human body, and even the Son of God had to rest. But it wasn’t just physical exhaustion that led to His nap in the storm. It was this: Jesus knew this isn’t how His story would end. He knew why God had sent Him. He knew His mission, and His work was not done. So His perfect trust in His Father gave Him the peace to rest.

Cries for help answered

All 3 Gospels report the men waking Jesus for help. They declare that they are about to drown. Mark even reports them asking if Jesus cared about their fate. Of course He cared for His people. It’s the whole reason He left Heaven!

Jesus pushed aside the limits of His humanity and demonstrated His deity. “Oh, you of little faith,” He said. “Why are you afraid?” Then He rebuked the winds and the waves. Instantly, the storm stilled.

Stunning response, or not…

All 3 accounts report that those present were amazed. Who is this that even the wind and waves obey Him? These men had seen other miracles, but they still must have had doubts to be this shocked. How human is that?

All too human, I’m afraid. How often do we do the same thing? God sees us through some rough times. We praise Him and go on. Then later, He does something big, and we’re stunned – as if He’s never done anything for us before. Our memories are so short, and we are so easily distracted by the world and its cares. We lose track of God and His glory.

Notes from Moody

Checking The Moody Bible Commentary, I discovered a few things:

1. A contrast to Jonah – Jonah caused the storm; Jesus calmed it. Jonah was a fugitive; Jesus was a messenger and sacrifice. The son of man (Jonah) slept; the Son of God (Jesus) awakens and acts. Both men were sacrificed: Jonah tossed overboard; Jesus willingly hung on the cross.
2. The sea – represents the restless and sinful world
3. The wind – represents the blast of persecution Jesus experienced, but He ignores and doesn’t fear it because He knows God’s plan will triumph.
4. The boat – Believers who sail to the other side of life, beyond the grave, with Christ.
5. Peace – occurs only when we cry out for help.

What it means for me:

1. Jesus is with me – No matter what I’m going through, Jesus is with me.
2. It’s up to me to invite Jesus to engage with me in my storms – Jesus isn’t one to force Himself on me uninvited. If I want His help, I need to invite Him to participate in my life.
3. My attention span needs work – I have the memory/attention span of a gnat. If I’m not DAILY engaged with Jesus, I’ll end up forgetting everything I’ve already seen Him do in my life. Live in awe, yes. But not in shock.

Thanks for dropping by today. Do you ever feel like Jesus is asleep? Drop me a line here or on Instagram and let me know.

PS: If you purchased my Good Grief course, please note that I’m working on an update. All lessons are still available, but links to new videos are still under construction.

by

The post In the Midst of the Storm appeared first on 13 Prayers.

Obey your father

When I was growing up, it was understood in my house that Dad was in charge. If he said to take out the trash, he meant right then. Not when your show was over or when it was convenient. You obey. Now.

So it was shocking to me to see other children talk back to or ignore their father.

Obey THE Father

Jesus would consistently obey His Father. So He knew the importance of the command structure of Heaven:

• Father
• Son
• Holy Spirit
• Angels

One day a Roman soldier – a centurion with 100 men under his command – came to Jesus for help. His servant was at home, paralyzed, sick, and suffering. When Jesus offered to go to him and heal him, the centurion told Jesus he didn’t deserve to have Him in his house. “BUT just say the word, and my servant will be healed.”  (Matthew 8:8)

Then the centurion explained, “I am a man under authority with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and that one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” (Mt 8:9)

Amazing Faith

When Jesus heard the soldier’s bold statement, He was amazed. Then to His followers He said, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with such great faith.”  (Mt 8:10-11) “I way to you that many will come from the east and the west, and will take their places at the feast with Abraham ,Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven.”

Part of Jesus’ amazement came from the fact that the officer was not even a Jew. At this point in Christ’s ministry, He was offending the Jewish leaders and even His own followers didn’t understand His true mission. So to find someone who grew up with multiple man-made gods who then has this much healing faith in Jesus is amazing.

A command to obey

Jesus’ response was simple: Because of the man’s bold faith, He said, “Go! Let it be done as you believed.” And the servant was healed in that moment.

Isn’t it comforting to know that Jesus rewards our faith? That He doesn’t have to be physically in the room for healing to occur?

The centurion was commanded to “Go.” His request was granted, and he could rush home to celebrate. As a man under authority, he would immediately obey.

Luke’s version differs slightly, with some believers approaching Jesus and telling Him the centurion deserved to have Jesus come. Why? Because he loves the Jews and helped build the local synagogue. So Jesus went.

But the soldier sent friends to stop Him. He didn’t think he was worthy to ask for help. “But say the word, and he will be healed.”

Worthy?

Both accounts indicate the soldier felt unworthy. I don’t know about you, but I get it. Do I feel “Worthy” to approach Jesus? No. Am I worthy? No.

You and I are only made worthy by Jesus’ sacrifice on our behalf. Our debt was too great. But He paid it for us. And because of that, because of His blood, we are now worthy to approach.

What it means for me:

1. Everyone is welcome to approach Jesus – A soldier from the occupying force is an unlikely believer, but Jesus didn’t turn him away. Instead, He praised his faith.
2. Recognize Christ’s authority – The creator of all things has authority over all things. Things go better for us when we recognize this and let Him take charge.
3. Have faith to ask for Jesus’ help – Maybe I’m the only one who doesn’t always pray for help because I hate to “bother” God with my stuff. But if I look at this story, I see that Jesus praises this kind of faith. I need to recognize His willingness to help.

Thanks for stopping by today. Drop me a line here or on Instagram and let me know: Were you the kid who would always obey?

by

The post More Than Troops Will Obey Him appeared first on 13 Prayers.

Not only have friends disappointed me, but I have no doubt that I’ve been the one who disappointed my friends, too.

Since we never know exactly what anyone else is going through, sometimes we let our precious friends down. Of course we don’t do it on purpose. And we feel horrible when we realize we did it. So, that’s what we have to remember when our friends let us down.

They’re only human, too.

Four friends

Today’s New Testament miracle is found in Luke 5:18-25, Matt. 9:2-8, and Mark 2:3-12. Here we see how friends of a lame man helped him meet Jesus. Jesus was teaching inside a home. A crowd gathered around – inside and out. So many that there was no room left, even outside the door, as they listened to His teaching. Four friends carried a paralyzed man there. Unable to get inside, they made a hole in the roof about Jesus and lowered their friend through it.

And Jesus saw their faith in His ability to heal the man. So He said to the lame man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Was the lame man asking for forgiveness? No. Is that why the four friends brought him to Jesus? No. Was their faith in Jesus’ ability to FORGIVE SINS what He recognized in them? No.

Jesus saw their faith in His healing ability. He’d been doing other healing miracles, and the friends wanted that relief for their man. So they found Jesus, overcame several obstacles (the crowd, the roof, and the distance to the floor), and very literally LET THEIR FRIEND DOWN to Jesus.

The unexpected answer

”Son, your sins are forgiven.”

To a man who just joined the crowded room through a fresh hole in the roof, Jesus sees the great faith of the four still outside.

Then He deals with the man’s SPIRITUAL condition first. Sometimes I think we forget this about God and His Son’s mission. Yes, Jesus healed many He encountered. But He was on a SPIRITUAL MISSION. Our true healing comes in our freedom from sin.

Jesus speaks these words because several Jewish leaders were present. All 3 accounts include the fact that Jesus knew their thoughts: [that He was blaspheming with this statement, claiming to be God.] And He called them out on it. And says, “I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Luke 5:24, Mark 2:10, Matt. 9:6

This enraged the Jewish leaders, because they knew God alone can forgive sins, and they don’t want to acknowledge Jesus’ true identity.

Here’s your proof

”Which is easier to say, ‘your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘get up and walk’?”

Jesus knew there is no VISIBLE evidence that the lam man’s sins are now forgiven. So saying they are is easy. But telling the man to walk  would lead to very visible results.

Jesus gained followers by all the signs and miracles He did. But those signs and miracles are not why He came. They were validation of His true mission – to save the man, his friends, and US from sin. And here, the results are dramatic and undeniable: the man walked away.

What it means for me

1. I need to be prepared when my friends are in need. Recently, I asked 2 friends for support during a time period I knew was going to be stressful. I rarely ask for help, but I knew I would need it. I haven’t really heard from them since. I must be a better friend when I am asked to help
2. I want bold faith. I want the “tear a hole in the roof’ faith to approach Jesus with my friends and their needs. There is no limit to what He can do – other than my own failure to ask.
3. True healing. Ultimately, I know my faith in Jesus saved me from SPIRITUAL death. His mission was a success for me. Who have I been telling?
4. Rely on Jesus. Human friends may disappoint, but Jesus never will.

Thanks for stopping by. Drop me a line here or on Instagram if you’ve ever had a friend let you down in a way that brought you closer to Jesus.

by

The post Friends Who Let You Down appeared first on 13 Prayers.